Published: July 5, 2025
"This is the place, the ore exchange that we received information about from France."
Eto confirmed by reading the sign that was raised.
Seeing this, Ryo felt a question arise.
So, he directly asked.
"Eto, can you read dark continent language?"
Yes, Ryo could read it because he studied it during the journey on the Skizblaznil Vessel from the kingdom, but indeed, the sign read 'Ore Exchange.'
"Yeah, I studied it while I was in the Western Nations."
"As expected of a priest."
Ryo was impressed.
However...
"I'm not the only one; Nils and Amon can read it too."
"Huh...?"
"We can also have conversations."
"I’ve studied as well."
Eto said something shocking, and Ryo was surprised, while Nils and Amon also said something unexpected.
It seemed that all three in Room 10 could read and converse in dark continent language.
"Remember... at the ascension ceremony, when we saved the two members of the escort party from the dark continent?"
"Oh yeah... the ones we fought against the Templar Knight Order."
Nils recalled and answered Ryo's question.
"We couldn't speak back then, right?"
"That's right. That made me want to study a little."
"Wanting to study..."
Ryo was astonished.
Seeing Ryo's extremely surprised expression, Nils looked puzzled.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
"No, it’s just that I never thought I’d hear the words 'want to study' come from Nils."
"Is that strange?"
"Yes, it is strange."
Ryo nodded clearly.
"The idea of a swordsman wanting to study feels like two things that are worlds apart."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Because...”
"Isn't it more strange to think that a swordsman wouldn’t want to study?"
"Huh?"
"There’s no profession or position where you don’t need to study, right?"
"What a fair argument."
Nils said it as if it were obvious, and Ryo accepted it while still surprised.
Eto and Amon, who were listening to their conversation, chuckled.
"It was the moment when the common sense that swordsmen are muscle-headed was overturned."
At Ryo's murmur, the three from Room 10 simply shook their heads slightly.
The four passed through the door of the Ore Exchange.
A bell jingled.
It appeared to be a kind of giant warehouse.
"This... is the place, right?"
"Yeah, it should be here."
"The sign said so, and the place I asked about was here."
"There are no people or ores here."
Ryo tilted his head, Nils frowned, Eto tilted his head, and Amon also tilted his head.
The vast warehouse had no one in it and nothing inside.
No, upon closer inspection, there were wooden frames, suggesting that ores had been arranged there before.
After a while, a young man in his mid-twenties came out through a door at the back of the warehouse.
He ran towards them after confirming the four.
"Ah, I’m sorry for the wait. Is there something you need?"
The young man's refreshing tone and expression contrasted starkly with the empty warehouse.
"Excuse me, we heard that this was an ore exchange."
"Yes, this is the Etosha Ore Exchange. That's correct."
When Eto asked on behalf of the group, the young man nodded in response.
"We are representatives of the Fundebie Kingdom Fleet that just docked..."
"Oh, I thought so. It seems to be a topic of gossip at the harbor. I just heard that a great fleet arrived. It’s related to the Western Church, right...?"
"Yes."
Eto nodded at the young man's question.
However, he seemed to have a slight doubt.
"You just said 'I thought so,' right?"
"No, it’s just that your clothes are unfamiliar to me."
"I see."
Eto understood.
It was true that the young man's clothing looked lighter and thinner compared to what the four were wearing.
Whether it was due to different weaving techniques or simply different fabric...
"We came here because we’re considering purchasing mitriro ore."
"I see, that makes sense."
The young man nodded at Eto's words.
However, the expression on his face darkened, which was evident to all four.
"I’m very sorry, but for the past two years, there has been no trading of mitriro ore here."
"Oh, I thought so."
"On the contrary, there hasn’t been any trading of ores recently."